You're not alone
by Skovko
Summary: It's just another party gone bad. She shouldn't have fought back and pissed off her boyfriend but she couldn't help but challenge him this night. When he leaves with his friends to party elsewhere, a stranger surprises her by suddenly showing up in the open door. It turns out he's there for the weekend in the apartment next door, and she learns that not all men are bad.
1. One day I'll leave

Athena sighed lowly. There was so much noise inside the apartment. Loud music and loud voices. Once again her boyfriend Erick was throwing a party without a care in the world about anyone else. Not her, not the neighbors. No one dared complaining to him anyway. One hard look from the bald man with the long, red beard, and they all went silent.

"Smile!" Erick barked.

She put on her best smile. It was a fake as anything else she showed him these days. He grabbed her jaw and kissed her forcefully. Someone whistled. She didn't care who. She didn't care about any of them.

"I love this color on you," he said.

He smirked as he ran his thumb over her blood red colored lips. He pressed down hard, smearing the lipstick out on her cheek on purpuse.

"You made a mess of yourself again," he mocked. "You're such a clown."

She stood up to go clean her face. He always set out to humiliate her one way or another. It was some sick game of his. She didn't get out before the sound of a bottle landing on the floor reached her.

"Oh, fuck!" Luke said.

She turned around and looked at Erick's best friend Luke. He had dropped his beer on the floor.

"Sorry," Luke said.  
"Don't worry," Erick looked at Athena. "Athena will clean it up."  
"I was gonna fix my lipstick," Athena said.  
"And you will," Erick twisted a little smile. "After you clean up."

She nodded and went to the kitchen to wet a cloth. She didn't dare go against anything he said. It didn't matter anymore. She was used to being humiliated like this. She walked back to the living room and went down on her knees to clean up the spilled beer.

"You're looking good down on your knees," Bray said.  
"Her favorite position," Erick chuckled. "Isn't that right, Athena?"  
"Yes," Athena said.  
"Yup, she just loves to suck daddy's dick. She loves to choke on it. She drools all over the place like the fucking clown she is," Erick said.  
"Stop," Athena whispered.  
"What was that?" Erick asked.

She didn't say anything. She kept running the cloth over the same spot without watching if she was actually cleaning something or not. Erick pushed her shoulder with his foot. She raised her head to look at him.

"I asked, what was that?" He asked.  
"Please, stop," she pleaded.  
"If you don't like it, you can always leave," he said.  
"But you won't let me go," she said.

The room fell silent. All Erick's friends were watching him as if she had just challenged him. In a way she had. She had never said anything against him before.

"You don't want to leave. There's a difference," Erick said.  
"So you're saying I can just walk out that door?" Athena pointed towards the front door.  
"Sure," Erick shrugged.

She stared at him for two long seconds. She didn't believe him. He stared back. The challenge was still on. She finally stood up and walked over to the front door, only accompanied by the loud music. Everyone was watching her. She opened the front door, took one step and was immediately yanked back by her hair.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Erick snarled.  
"You told me to leave," she said.  
"You don't fucking leave me!" He growled. "Ever!"  
"I don't wanna do this anymore," she said.  
"Tough shit!" He said.

He spat in her face. Another form for humiliation. Being spit on wasn't new for her. What was new was that she spat back. For some unknown reason she found some sort of will to fight back this evening. She knew she shouldn't have the second her spit landed in his beard. His eyes turned cruel like many times before.

"You fucking bitch!" He yelled.

He pushed her so she tripped down on the floor. She turned around fast, trying to crawl towards the door. He grabbed her ankles and yanked her back. The second she turned around to look at him, she was backhanded. He jumped down to straddle her while his fists did the talking. She wasn't sure how many times he hit her. Not as many as he would have if Luke hadn't stopped him.

"Come on, Erick. It's enough," Luke said.  
"I decide when it's enough!" Erick yelled.  
"Come on, dude. She's not going anywhere. You proved your point," Luke said.

Erick grabbed Athena's hair and yanked her head up so they were almost nose to nose.

"Are you still gonna walk out that door?" Erick asked.  
"No," Athena cried.  
"That's right," Erick said. "You're not ever fucking leaving me!"

He stood up and wiped his hands on his pants. He looked around at his friends who had been sitting there watching the show.

"Let's hit the town," Erick said.  
"Sounds good," Bray said.

Everyone stood up. No one paid attention to her still on the floor. She sat up, staring down at the ugly, royal blue carpet while everyone left the apartment. She didn't look up until their voices were gone. She crawled towards the stereo and shut off the music. Everything around her was silence but it only lasted for a second.

"Are you alright?" Someone asked.

She looked towards the front door. They had left it open when they walked out. A tall, long haired man stood there. She hadn't seen him before.

"Never been better," she answered.  
"Right," he chuckled sadly. "May I come in?"  
"No," she said.  
"Okay, I'll stay here. Do you wanna come with me next door then?" He asked.  
"What happened to old man Regal?" She asked.  
"I don't think William appreciates being called old," he laughed. "He still lives there. He's gone for the weekend. I'm just looking after his iguana."

She nodded and got back up on her feet. The guy kept standing in the open door, just watching her.

"Are you gonna stand there all night?" She asked.  
"Until you either come with me or close the door in my face," he said.  
"Has anyone ever told you you're annoying?" She asked.  
"My mom says that a lot," he laughed. "Come on, love."

She didn't know why she chose to follow the stranger but she did. She figured if old man Regal liked this man, he couldn't be all that bad. She walked into the apartment and followed him into the bathroom. The bright light from the light tube almost hurt her eyes. He patted the table next to the sink, and she sat up on it.

"Let me see," he said.

He studied the woman in front of her. Dark brown hair and ocean blue eyes. It was a shame the red color her face had gotten this night.

"I can't tell what's lipstick and what's blood. I'll try being gentle," he said.

He wet a cloth and started cleaning her face. He really did have a gentle touch. She studied his face while he cleaned hers. It almost looked like he was hurting more than she was.

"There we go," he gave her a smile. "I would say good as new but you know that's not the case. You don't look too bad though."  
"I've had worse," she said.

He let out a little sigh.

"Why do you stay?" He asked.  
"One day I'll leave," she said.  
"When?" He asked.  
"I don't know," she shrugged. "One day."

He was still standing in front of her. Practically in between her legs. He was done cleaning her face but he kept standing close.

"What's your name?" He asked.  
"Athena Dallas," she answered. "You?"  
"Drew McIntyre," he smiled. "I'm Scottish in case my accent didn't give me away."  
"Oh, it did," she smiled back. "Big time."

His own smile grew bigger. She was really beautiful when she smiled.

"There's something I wanna do but I'm sure you'll slap me for it," he said.  
"What?" She asked.  
"I shouldn't. Although I don't agree with it, you're still someone's girlfriend," he said.  
"I don't follow. Just do it," she said.

She was taken by surprise when he leaned down and kissed her. His lips were soft and his tongue moved slow. There was so much passion in the kiss, and she almost whimpered when he broke it. He kept his eyes closed for a few seconds, and then opened them.

"No slap?" He asked.  
"What did you do that for?" She asked.  
"To show you not all men will hurt you. I figured you needed something good to finish this evening on," he said.  
"Thank you," she said.  
"Anytime," he chuckled. "I've never been thanked for a kiss before."

She felt weird thanking him for it but she didn't know what else to say. He was still a stranger. A very sweet and handsome stranger who had seen her at a very bad point and still taken care of her despite not knowing her. She felt drawn to him although she didn't want to admit it right that second.

"I better get back," she said.

He stepped aside so she could get down from the table. He followed her back to her apartment but kept standing outside the front door like he had done earlier.

"I'm here all weekend," he reminded her. "Maybe we can do something tomorrow if you're up for it."  
"I don't think that's wise," she smiled sadly. "Thank you though. For cleaning my face and everything."


	2. I don't want you to stop

At some time during the night, Erick had returned home drunk out of his mind. Athena preferred him that drunk because that meant he didn't understand anything else but sleep. As soon as he started snoring, she got out of bed.

She spent the early morning hours cleaning after the party. Her eyes kept wandering to the wall. On the other side in old man Regal's apartment was a very sweet man she would like to get to know better.

"Are you gonna cook me breakfast?" Erick asked.

She turned around and looked at her boyfriend. It was almost noon when he rolled out of bed.

"Sure, what would you like?" She asked.  
"Bacon and eggs," he said.

He turned around and walked to the bathroom. She went to the kitchen to cook him breakfast while he showered. He looked better when he surfaced again. She served him his breakfast and sat down across from him. He studied her face but she knew she was never gonna get an apology.

"It's your own fault," he said.  
"I know," she said.  
"Don't pull a stunt like that again," he said.  
"I won't. I was out of line yesterday. It was the beer talking. I'm sorry," she said.

It hadn't been the beer talking. She hadn't been drinking at all but she knew he didn't keep track of that.

"Good," he said. "Pack a bag for me."  
"Where are you going?" She asked.  
"Fishing trip with Luke and Bray. I'll be back tomorrow evening," he said.

She went to the bedroom to pack a bag for him. She felt relieved that he would leave for the rest of the weekend.

"Behave while I'm gone," he said.  
"Of course. You don't have to worry. I'll stay home and binge watch something," she said. "Have a nice trip."

He kissed her goodbye and left the apartment. She walked out on the balcony and watched as he got into his car and drove away. The second he was out of the parking lot, she went to the nearest mirror. She didn't look too bad. A bruised cheek but Drew already knew that. She combed her fingers through her hair, took a deep breath and went to knock on the neighboring door. The second she knocked, she had second thoughts. She turned and started walking away. She only took a few steps before he opened the door.

"Aren't you too old to ding dong ditch?" He asked.  
"I knocked so technically I didn't ding dong anything," she said.  
"Do you still wanna run away?" He asked.  
"I was hoping you would have lunch with me," she said.  
"Sure. Where would you like to go?" He asked.  
"Could we stay here?" She asked.  
"In the hallway or inside the apartment?" He asked.

She walked back to his front door. He stepped aside and let her in. They both walked to the kitchen. She studied the apartment a bit more. Old man Regal had a nice looking home.

"Let's see what's in here," Drew opened the fridge. "Right, he left some bolognese. I forgot about that. How does that sound?"  
"Amazing," she said.  
"Great. I'll cook some pasta and heat this up, and we're good to go," he said.

She watched him as he cooked. It was simple enough but he seemed at home in a kitchen. Not like Erick. Erick always expected her to cook. She felt sort of happy when he served lunch. They talked while eating, and that little bubble of happiness slowly got bigger in his presence. After lunch they did the dishes together, and went to the living room where they sat down on the couch.

"Do you have a place you can go?" He asked. "I mean, when you're ready to leave him, do you have someone who can help you?"  
"I have my brother Bo," she said.  
"That's good," he said.  
"I don't know," she sighed. "Bo and Erick are friends. I met Erick through Bo. I'm not sure he will take my side."  
"Of course he will. He's your brother. Any brother would," he said.

She smiled at him. She didn't know what to say. She could only hope he was right. If she ever did get brave enough to take the step, Bo would be her first and only stop. She didn't have anyone else. Erick had made sure she cut ties with her friends over time.

"I have a confession," he said.  
"What?" She asked.  
"I wasn't supposed to stay here last night," he said.  
"But I thought you were babysitting his iguana," she said.  
"I am," he chuckled. "But I live in the other end of town. I was only supposed to come here to feed him and talk to him. Not stay the entire weekend. I'm allowed to. William won't mind. But I wasn't supposed to."

He moved closer and ran his fingers through her hair.

"But then I met you. I couldn't go home last night. I was scared you might need help again. And I was hoping to see you again," he said.

He leaned down slowly. She almost held her breath as he came closer.

"Tell me to stop," he said lowly.  
"I don't want you to stop," she said.

He kissed her just as softly as the night before. She wrapped her arms around his neck and climbed up on his lap. He moved them around so he was lying on his back with her on top of him. It didn't feel right taking her to Regal's bed and he sure as hell wouldn't be in the bed she shared with Erick. The couch would have to do for now. She pushed his tee up and moved down to kiss down his chest and stomach. She lifted her head when she reached his pants and started opening his belt.

"We don't have to," he said.  
"I want to," she looked into his eyes. "I want you."  
"Oh, fuck me, love!" He smirked. "I want you too."


	3. Brother

Drew hadn't willingly let Athena go back to her own apartment. She had stayed on the couch with him all Saturday and that night. Way too early Sunday morning around 6 AM she had kissed him goodbye, whispered for him to keep sleeping and then left. He couldn't continue sleeping. He wanted her to stay with him but he knew he couldn't ask for that. William would return today, and unfortunately so would Erick.

Drew walked around restlessly all morning. She was right there, just on the other side of the wall, and it felt like she was miles away. He knew it was crazy to fall for someone he didn't know but he couldn't help it. When William returned around 1 PM, Drew felt like a mess inside.

"Wow, was it that hard to look after my little guy?" William joked.  
"No, he was easy," Drew forced a smile. "I just had a weird night. Nothing to worry about."  
"Thank you," William said.  
"Anytime," Drew said. "I better get going."

Drew left William's apartment. Outside the door he stopped and stared at her door. He wanted to go knock and tell her goodbye but he had no clue if Erick was home already or not. She wasn't expecting Erick until tonight. She had told him so. But that didn't mean it couldn't have happened that the asshole got home earlier.

"Fuck me," he mumbled.

He walked down the stairs to the ground floor and out to his car. Just as he unlocked it, he heard her voice.

"Hey!" She yelled.

He looked up to see her standing on the balcony on the first floor. Her hair blew softly in the wind, and she looked even more beautiful to him.

"How much room do you have in your car?" She asked.  
"I got room for you if you like," he grinned.  
"Could you take me to my brother?" She asked.  
"Of course," he answered.

She started throwing plastic bag after plastic bag over the balcony and down on the parking lot. He laughed when he realized she had stuffed all her clothes in bags. Once she was done, she disappared from the balcony. It didn't take long before she came running over the parking lot and jumped up into his arms. He caught her, leaned back against his car and kissed her.

"Hi," she smiled.  
"Hi, yourself," he smiled back. "So you're finally ready to leave him."  
"Yeah well, I met this guy who kicked my butt," she said.  
"Smart guy," he grinned.  
"He's very smart," she grinned back. "And very, very hot."  
"Damn, I'm getting jealous, love," he chuckled.

She kissed him again, and he put her back down. They picked up the plastic bags and got them all in his car. Once inside his car, he leaned over and kissed her.

"Can I just say that this newly found confidence is fucking hot?" He said. "Don't lose it again."  
"I'll try my best," she said.  
"I'll be there to make sure it stays," he winked.

He started the car and drove her directly to her brother. When he stopped outside of Bo's house, she seemed very nervous. He reached over and took her hand.

"Relax. He's your brother. He's not gonna turn you away," he said.  
"You don't know him like I do," she said.  
"Is it that bad?" He asked.  
"Let's just try," she sighed.

They got out of the car and walked up to ring the door bell. A long haired man opened shortly after. He gave Drew a dirty look and then looked at his sister.

"What's this?" Bo pointed at Drew.  
"This is Drew. He drove me here. I need your help," Athena said.  
"With what?" Bo asked.  
"Can I stay here for a while? Until I find somewhere else to live?" Athena asked.  
"Did Erick finally kick you out?" Bo asked.  
"No, I left him," Athena said.  
"You left him?" Bo asked. "You fucking left him?"

Bo seemed angry, and Athena looked frightened of her own brother. There was something there that Drew couldn't understand.

"You don't know what Erick did," Drew defended Athena.  
"Oh, I know exactly what he did. He put her in her place!" Bo scowled. "See, she can't really do much right so she needs to be taught with a firm hand."  
"Excuse me?" Drew asked shocked.  
"Stop it!" Athena cut both of them off. "Can I stay here or not?"  
"Sure, get inside," Bo said.

Athena and Drew went back to Drew's car to get her bags. Bo had already walked back inside.

"What's up with your brother?" Drew asked.  
"Don't go there," she answered.  
"Is he like Erick?" He asked.  
"No, he doesn't hit that hard," she answered.  
"He doesn't hit that hard? What the fuck?" He raised his voice.  
"You're the one who told me to leave Erick, and so I did. I got so far. Either shut up and help me get my things inside, or leave," she said.

She stomped off towards the front door before he could say anything else. He yanked up her remaining bags and followed her. He was cursing himself inwardly. He could see it when she talked about her brother. He should have asked deeper. He would never have taken her here if he had known the truth.

"You can stay in the guest room for now," Bo said.  
"Thank you," Athena said.

Drew and Athena dropped the bags down on the floor in the room. Bo kept standing there with his arms crossed, staring down Drew. Clearly Drew wasn't welcome in Bo's world.

"Do you want me to stay?" Drew asked Athena.  
"She'll be fine," Bo said.  
"I was asking her," Drew said.  
"I'll be fine," Athena said.  
"See!" Bo smirked.

It took a lot for Drew to hold back. He knew he needed to keep it friendly for now.

"How about dinner tomorrow?" Drew asked.  
"She's already spoken for," Bo said.  
"Not anymore," Drew smirked. "What do you say, Athena? Let me take you out on a date."  
"That sounds good," Athena said.  
"I'll pick you up at 5.30," Drew said.  
"Did you tell him?" Bo asked.

Both Drew and Athena looked at Bo. Bo had a smug smile on his face.

"Did you tell him it's your fault that dad died and that mom left us?" Bo asked.  
"Bo, please," Athena said.  
"No, he needs to know what type of person he's dealing with here," Bo said.  
"That drunk driver hit dad," Athena said.  
"And why was he on the road? Because he was on his way to pick you up. And mom fucking left us for it because we reminded her of dad," Bo said.  
"I'm sorry," Athena started crying.  
"I bet you are. Dad's fucking dead because of you, and mom doesn't give two shits about any of us because of you. Yeah, you better be fucking sorry, cunt," Bo said.  
"Hey!" Drew raised his voice. "Don't talk to her like that."  
"How about you get the fuck out of my house?" Bo stared at Drew. "Before I call the cops and report an intruder. I don't recall inviting you inside. Only her."

Drew looked at Athena again. He really didn't wanna leave her with her brother.

"Just go," Athena said. "I'll see you tomorrow."  
"5.30," Drew nodded. "I'll be here. I promise."


	4. Trap

"Do you need me to come over?" Drew asked.  
"That's probably not wise," Athena answered.  
"Bo's warming up to me. I can feel it," he chuckled.  
"In your dreams," she chuckled too.  
"I only dream about you," he said.

She smiled out in the air while holding her phone to her ear. This last week had been weird, to say the least. Erick hadn't reached out at all. Bo hadn't mentioned Erick with a word. Every night she had been with Drew and they were beginning to call each other boyfriend and girlfriend. This Saturday, six days after she arrived to Bo's house, Bo had asked her to stay home with him.

"I miss you," Drew said.  
"I miss you too," she said.  
"Tomorrow's so far away," he sighed.  
"Go to bed early and it'll be here soon," she chuckled. "I'll be over as soon as I wake up."  
"Alright, right hand for me tonight but don't worry. I'll make sure to save plenty for you tomorrow," he said.

She let out a loud laugh at that. The sound of the door bell reached her inside the guest room. Pizza had arrived. It was nice of Bo to suggest they stayed in and had pizza. Despite everything, she was still hoping to somehow get a good relationship with her two year younger brother.

"I'll see you tomorrow, goofball," she said.

She hung up and walked out to Bo. He was placing the pizza box down at the coffee table in the living room. He turned on the music and sat down on the couch.

"You know, you have a perfectly fine kitchen table," she chuckled.  
"Come on," he patted the spot next to him. "Kick up your feet and relax."

She sat down next to him. He opened the box and they both grabbed a slice. She had just finished it when she heard the front door open and a voice she really didn't wanna hear.

"Party's here!" Erick yelled.  
"Finally!" Bo yelled back.

Athena froze in her seat as the men came into the living room. Erick sat down next to her with a smirk on his face.

"Did you honestly think I'd let you leave?" Erick asked.

Athena looked over at Bo. He just smiled and nodded. Clearly he was on his friend's side. She knew there was a chance this would happen. She just hoped Bo could find it in his heart to be there for her. For some reason he always blamed her for their parents although it wasn't on her at all.

"I gotta..." Athena started.

She didn't know what to say. She just knew she needed to get out. She tried to get up but Erick pulled her right back down and held on to her.

"No, you don't," Erick said.  
"Let's invite Drew," Bo said.  
"Please," Athena looked at Bo.  
"Give me your phone," Bo held out his hand.  
"No," Athena said. "Don't do this."

Erick moved her around in a tight grip and managed to get her phone up from her back pocket. He handed it to Bo.

"No, Bo," Athena pleaded. "Please. Don't do this to him."

She didn't care what they might do to her. She didn't want them to hurt Drew. Bo gave her a sinister smile before reading out loud while he texted Drew.

"Bo said it's okay that you come over. He wants to get to know you. We got pizza. Come right away," Bo said. "And sent."

Athena prayed Drew would decline. Her phone beeped quickly after.

"On my way, love," Bo laughed. "He calls you love? Stupid Scot!"

It didn't take long before the door bell rang. Bo smirked as he stood up. Erick seemed to read her mind. He kept holding on to her and placed a hand over her mouth so she couldn't scream for Drew to run.

"This way," Bo said.

Drew never saw it coming. The second he stepped into the living room, Bo placed a fist into Drew's stomach. All air was knocked out of him, and he bent over. Erick stood up and pushed Athena into Bray's arms. Luke and Bo grabbed an arm each from Drew and held him while Erick stepped up in front of him.

"You've been touching what isn't yours," Erick said.  
"She's not yours either," Drew said.  
"How wrong you are, little man," Erick said.

Erick slapped Drew hard. Drew tried to pull his arms free. Luke placed a knee up into Drew's stomach, once again knocking all air out of the man.

"Little, angry man," Erick mocked. "I can't have you running around here and putting your hands on my property."  
"Please!" Athena begged. "Don't hurt him!"  
"I am gonna hurt him so bad," Erick smirked. "And then I'll take back what's mine."

Erick slammed his fist down on Drew's face. Bo and Luke let go and instead helped Erick punch and kick Drew. Drew did his best to cover himself while crawling out of the living room. He knew he needed to get out of the house as fast as he could. For every step he crawled, there was a punch or a kick and a constant mocking laughter from every man in the house. He finally made it to the front door. He had no idea how he managed to open it. Suddenly he was outside. The air should have tasted of freedom but it was bittersweet because Athena was still inside.

"This is the only warning you'll get," Erick said.  
"Stay away from my sister," Bo said.

The front door slammed and Drew was left on his own. His entire body ached and tears ran down his face. Somehow he managed to get to his car. He knew he probably shouldn't drive home with how he felt but he still did it. He made it back to his own house. He went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror.

"Fuck!" He said.

He grinned at his mirror image and was happy to see he still had all his teeth. He spat out some blood and then started to clean himself. He was angry. He had walked right into their trap. She hadn't been able to stop him. He had seen it. He had seen how some guy had been holding her back. He had heard her plead for them not to hurt him. He wasn't sure what hurt most in that moment. His body or his heart.


	5. Follow the heart

Athena did what she needed to do afterwards. Bray let go of her but she didn't try to get out of the house. She knew it would be pointless to try. Instead she sat back down on the couch as if she accepted everything that had just happened. She did what she had to do.

"See, everything works much easier when you obey," Erick said.  
"Stay the night here. You're gonna be too drunk to drive anyway. Tomorrow you can take her home with you," Bo said.  
"Thank you," Erick said.

Athena didn't say a word. Instead she watched as the men partied and got drunk. None of them cared about her anyway. She just needed to sit there and play her part while everything inside her screamed to get away. Erick placed an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

"Did you miss daddy?" He sniffed her hair. "God, I missed my little girl. I can't wait to fuck you again. I'm very angry with you though. Running off and cheating on me. That is not okay!"  
"Take it easy tonight," Luke said. "You can punish her tomorrow when you're sober."  
"I can't wait to have her choke on my dick again," Erick said.

Erick winked at Luke and then turned to Athena again.

"Go put on that red lipstick that I like," Erick said.  
"I don't have it," Athena said.  
"Did you throw it away?" He asked.  
"No, I would never. I left it back home. I always knew I'd come back again," Athena said.

Half of it was a lie. It was true she had left the lipstick with him but that was because he had picked it out. She hated that lipstick. She hated the color of blood. She hated that he forced her to put it on. For some reason he loved that color on her face. He loved seeing her lips colored blood red while he forced his dick down her throat.

"Good girl," Erick smirked.  
"Can I go to bed?" Athena asked.  
"Not yet," Erick answered. "We'll go together when I'm ready."

She nodded. There was no point in arguing. He wasn't gonna let her leave his side. She waited for hours and made sure to constantly replace his beer when he emptied one. She wanted him to be so drunk that he could only think about sleep.

"Time for bed," Erick finally mumbled.  
"If you fuck in my bed, you're changing the sheets tomorrow," Bo said.  
"She is," Erick chuckled.

Erick and Athena went to the guest room. Erick closed the door and opened his pants. He fumbled around, clearly too drunk to figure out how to get them off.

"Take them off me!" He demanded.

She went down on one knee and pulled his pants down. He lifted his legs one at the time to get out of his pants. He grabbed her hair and smirked down at her.

"So pretty down on your knees," he said. "Suck my cock."

He rubbed his hand over his briefs. It was clear he wasn't hard at all.

"Maybe you should lie down," she said.  
"Yeah," he said. "Let's lie down."

He lied down on the bed and motioned for her to follow. She lied down too and he wrapped an arm around her tightly. Once again he sniffed her hair.

"Smell good," he mumbled.

She didn't answer. She knew she had to be completely still. She almost let out a sob of relief when she heard him start snoring. She kept lying there for what seemed like an eternity. Eventually the music got turned off and she heard people leave. She listened as Bo walked around his house, and finally the door to the bedroom closed.

She kept lying for minutes until she was sure Bo was asleep too. She lifted Erick's heavy arm as calmly as she could so he wouldn't wake up. She placed it down on the bed, walked silently over to the door and opened it slowly. She grabbed the bags she still hadn't unpacked. She didn't care what items of clothing were in them and what items were left behind. It was now or never. Clothes could be replaced. Her sanity couldn't.

She walked as quietly as she could through the dark house. She found her phone on the coffee table where Bo had left it. She put it back in her back pocket and tiptoed out of the house and out into the cold night. She kept looking over her shoulder the entire way to Drew's house. No one was following her but she wouldn't feel safe until she was inside his house. She finally reached it and knocked on the front door. She kept knocking until the light was turned on and Drew opened.

"Fuck!" She looked at his face. "I'm sorry."  
"I still got my teeth," he said.  
"I couldn't stop them," she said.  
"I know. I'm not angry with you," he said.  
"Can I come in?" She asked.

He sighed deeply. He felt torn. He had only known her for a short time. The amount of trouble she had brought into his life should make him turn her away but he couldn't. She had nowhere else to go.

"I guess," he shrugged.

He stepped aside and she walked inside. She put the bags down on the floor, got out of her shoes and looked at him. She didn't know what to say. For a while they stood there just staring at each other.

"Are we done?" She asked.  
"I should say yes according to a lot of wise people," he said.

She hung her head and nodded. She wasn't gonna fight him on that. Her brother and ex had beat him up tonight. She understood if he never wanted to see her again.

"However, I've never been known to follow other people. I always follow my heart," he said.

She looked back up at him. She didn't dare to ask what his heart might say. He delivered the answer anyway.

"My heart says it wants you," he said.  
"I want you too," she said.  
"No family dinners though. I'm not taking another beating," he said.

She couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Don't worry. Bo doesn't know where you live. And if he ever finds out, the tables have turned. You can call the cops on him. He's not that stupid that he'll come running here. Neither is Erick," she said.  
"Good," he smirked. "Because you live here now."  
"I do?" She asked.  
"Where else are you gonna go, love?" He chuckled. "And I wouldn't mind having you stick around. That is if you want to."  
"I want to," she started smiling. "I want to very much."

He leaned down and kissed her, and hissed at the pain from his split lip.

"Sorry," she said.  
"Totally worth the pain," he pecked her lips. "However, no sex for a few days. Nothing feels broken but I'm gonna be bruised for a while."  
"As long as I get to lie next to you in bed, I'm happy," she said.  
"Me too," he smiled.


End file.
